UNGLUED CHAPTER 4

EXPLODER VS STUFFER

Hi, my name is Lisa and I am a STUFFER.

Oh my. I didn’t realize that was part of being unglued. So what are you? Exploder or Stuffer?  If you are an Exploder, are you one who “shames herself” or one who “blames others”? If you are a Stuffer, are you one who “builds barriers” (raising my hand) or one who “collects retaliation rocks”?

Maybe you are like our writer and a combination of them all!

Remember we are not supposed to label ourselves, instead we are to identify ourselves. I like the definition Lysa used.

          “Labeling says , ‘I am a sum total of my difficult issues.’ While “Identifying says ‘My issues are part of the equations but not the sum total.’ When we identify issues with OURSELVES it should be healthy and productive. The issues that causes us stress, hurt feelings, irritation, bitterness.. ya da da di da.

When things explode, whatever is on the inside, erupts like a volcano eruption.  Stuffing is like when you are packing stuff in a trash bag. Just keep forcing more “trash” in, over and over. Eventually that bag will “explode” as well.

You can explode in a loud voice or even in a more quite manner. Yelling and screaming is what we think of when we think of emotional “exploder” but you don’t have to raise your voice to be an exploder.

Have you said or been told “Don’t take that tone with me!” The tone, sternness, slow diction and evening speaking through closed teeth, (as then dentist say “bite together”) is a form of exploding. Hmmmm, I have done this to some friends, especially when they don’t listen or take this seriously.

I guess I could me like Lysa too and be a combination of them all. It depends on the circumstance and on the people involved. Think of a time when you were an example of each one.